Saturday, July 11, 2015

"Turn the Wrenches & Man the Torch"

John Stein,
the author of these two motorcycle books, stopped by RB Racing to talk about
racing, mutual acquaintances and to sell books. Now John could have written a
romance novel, a book about adolescent wizards or even a nouvelle cuisine tome
and made more money. Unfortunately for him and, fortunately for all of us, John
took the time and effort to document a past that is slipping away all too fast
by interviewing those left alive from the 1950's, 60's and till present to get
the rare photos and background color before, as they say...the dust turns to
dust. Mindless shopping malls have chewed up the dragstrips and these days
people Twitter and Facebook away instead of getting drunk, raising hell,
turning wrenches and manning welding torches. Instead of making things, people
just buy things...that's the downfall of everything.

I don't know if I would, or should, recommend getting drunk and raising hell, but I certainly agree with the sentiment. Me, however, I avoid the mall like the plague choosing instead to turn wrenches and man the welding torch, making things rather than buying them.

This would be Exhibit A:

I decided to just make up a quickie plate to mount the generator and oil pressure lights. It's just 16 gauge aluminum with an identical piece behind it to hold the lights in place. The lights are wired up and ready to go. I'd prefer some nice looking jeweled lenses but these will do until the real thing comes along. I got the tach and speedo lights rewired but I have to remove the handlebars in order to mount them up. Once I get them mounted I should be able to call the wiring done.

I haven't put any acid in the battery yet. After I mount the gauges I'll hook up a power source and trouble shoot all the electricals. If everything checks out, move on to the front brake and a few remaining piddly things. I'll check and double check everything, charge the battery, polarize the generator and then see about lighting her off.

I've had the bike a little over a year. I would have had it done much sooner if it hadn't have been for my wife's illness. I'm not belly aching about that, just ruminating on the fact that I'm turning 65 soon. I've got 13 motorcycles and two car projects. If I live to be eighty, that's one per year. I slowed way down after the heart attack but after the wife gets better, I think I might be better off from a health stand point spending more time in the shop. Working on the projects is much more relaxing to me than sitting around "taking it easy". I did come in about 7:30 last evening, though. In the old days the tach and speedo would have been on before I came in. Need to turn up the wick a bit on the projects but not stray too far from the middle path. Not easy to do. Especially with this one. I'm real close to having it running.

PS: I added the 520 Chain Cafe to the blog roll - fellow Indiana biker whose got a couple of interesting projects going along with other bike stuff.